Monday Briefing: Roundabouts, Chief Judge Zambrano, Hurricane Irma Assistance, Bunnell v. Homeless

Circuit Judge Raul A. Zambrano will serve another two-year term as Chief Judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit, which includes Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties, beginning July 1. Zambrano was chosen by the 41 other judges in the circuit to remain in this lead administrative role. “I appreciate the trust my colleagues have shown in me and consider it an honor and privilege to represent what I believe to be one of the finest group of public servants in the State of Florida,” Zambrano said. In addition to his role as Chief Judge, Zambrano will continue his duties on the bench as a Circuit Judge hearing felony matters in Daytona Beach. A Circuit Judge since 2005, Judge Zambrano earned his bachelor’s degree and two masters’ degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He received his juris doctor from Stetson University. Prior to becoming a judge, he served as an Assistant State Attorney.As judge, he served on Flagler’s felony bench before his assignment to Volusia.
(c FlaglerLive)

Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Highs in the upper 80s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent. Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Chance of thunderstorms and slight chance of showers in the evening, then chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the lower 70s. Southwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Today’s document from the National Archives and the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Today’s tides: at the beaches, at the Intracoastal Waterway.
Drought Index: 447
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day: quibble.
The Live Community Calendar
Today’s jail bookings.

Today’s Briefing: Quick Links

First Light
In Flagler and Palm Coast
Flagler Jail Bookings and Last 24 Hours of Incident Reports
Flagler Beach A1A Construction Updates
US 1-Old Dixie Highway Roundabout Construction Updates
Announcements
In State Government
In Coming Days in Flagler, Palm Coast and Beyond
Fact-Checking the Knaves
Palm Coast Construction and Development
Cultural Coda

“We all know that no politician, statesman or dictator seeks power for its own sake. Power is a position, a point of eminence, a situation of control which, when total, confers pleasures which are the reward of the power-the pleasure of choosing to be feared or loved, to do harm or good, condemn reprieve, tyrannize or bestow benefits. We recognize power when we see a capacity for choice unqualified by exterior factors. When authority is expressed solely through doing evil, then we doubt the existence of choice and hence the existence of power. The ultimate power, by definition, if God’s, and this power would seem nonexistent if it were confined to condemning sinners to hell. A Caligula or a Nero is recognized as a temporary aberration, a disease that cannot hold power for long because it can choose nothing but he destructive.”

–From Anthony Burgess’s “1985” (1978).

Previously:

In Flagler and Palm Coast:

Note: all government meetings noticed below are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated. Many can be heard or seen live through each agency’s website.

The Sheriff’s daily incident reports and jail bookings are posted here.

The Bunnell City Commission meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 201 West Moody Boulevard, Bunnell. Though it’s not on the agenda, the commission is expected to hear about and possibly discuss its zoning board’s vote shutting down the Sheltering Tree’s cold-weather homeless shelter at Bunnell’s First United Methodist Church. The commission will also get an update from the County Commission on the building of a new Sheriffs Operation Center, or district office, in Palm Coast, and a future one in Bunnell.

The Flagler County Land Acquisition Committee meets at 3:30 p.m. in the First Floor Conference Room at the government Services Building, 1769 E Moody Blvd., Bldg 2, Bunnell.

The Flagler County Library Board of Trustees meets at 4:30 p.m. at the Flagler County Library, 2500 Palm Coast Parkway NW, Palm Coast.

Roundabouts: Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins hosts a community meeting with the Florida Department of Transportation to share information and discuss roundabouts at County Road 304 and State Road 11. The 6 p.m. meeting is at Haw Creek Community Center, 9257 County Road 304, Bunnell.

The St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board holds a workshop to discuss a strategic plan and development of a draft 2019-2020 budget, 3 p.m., district headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka.

All Week: Tennis Summer Camp (Session 1) – Monday-Friday, 9 a.m-4pm. at Belle Terre Park, 339 Parkview Drive, Palm Coast. Tennis and so much more! Please come with athletic clothes and shoes, swimsuit (for the pool), water bottle, sunscreen, lunch, snacks and drinks. For ages 6-13 years. $175/week. Registration required at www.parksandrec.fun/camps. More info: 386-986-2550.

Nar-Anon offers hope and help for families and friends of addicts. Every Monday, 6 p.m., St. Mark by the Sea Lutheran Church, 303 Palm Coast Pkwy NE, Palm Coast, Fellowship Hall Entrance. See the website, www.nar-anon.org, or call (800) 477-6291.

Daytona State College holds another session in its strategic planning process for 2020-2023 and wants your ideas and insights about initiatives the college might pursue during that timeframe. The session, the only one in Flagler, is from 9 to 11 a.m. at DSC’s Student Center Building on the Palm Coast campus, Room 106. Interactive focus groups are scheduled on each campus, starting at the end of April and ending the second week of June. Faculty, staff, students and the public are invited to attend and participate. Plan to attend and share your vision for DSC’s future. To participate, bring your mobile device (cell phone, tablet, etc.). For more information, contact Dr. Karla Moore, (386) 506-3650, [email protected]; or John Brady, (386) 506-3837, [email protected].

Blood Donations: The Big Red Bus will be at the following locations this week (schedule your donation by going to the website and entering a Palm Coast zip code, then locating one of the venues below):

Monday: Planet Fitness, 7 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Florida Health Care Plans, 309 Palm Coast Parkway, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday: Florida Health Care Plans Town Center, 145 City Place, Suite 100, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday: Aaron’s, 229 St. Joe Plaza, Palm Coast, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday: Lowe’s, 315 Cypress Edge Drive, Palm Coast, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Jail Bookings and Last 24 Hours' Incidents in Flagler, Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Bunnell


Jail Bookings, June 19-22 Sheriff's night shift incident reports, June 21 Sheriff's day shift incident reports, June 21 Flagler Beach's night shift incident reports, June 21 Flagler Beach's day shift incident reports, June 21 Bunnell police's night shift incident reports, June 21 Bunnell police's day shift incident reports, June 21
Previous and archived reports

Sources: Flagler County Sheriff's Office, Flagler Beach Police Department, Bunnell Police Department. This is Flagler County's only comprehensive, one-stop compilation of all local law enforcement's daily day and night shift commanders' reports.

Flagler Beach Is Open For Business: A1A Construction Update:

FlaglerLive is providing weekly updates to year-long construction on and near State Road A1A in Flagler Beach as the Florida Department of Transportation rebuilds a 1.5-mile segment from South 9th Street to South 22nd Street, and builds a sea wall at the north end of town. These updates are provided through DOT or local officials. If you have any relevant information or images, you’re welcome to email them to the editor here.

Last Updated: June 3

Protecting Turtles

Now that turtle nesting season has started in the Flagler Beach area, local Turtle Patrol volunteers are checking the beach within the project limits every day to locate any new nests. In Segment 3, north of North 18th Street, work cannot begin until the beach is checked. If a nest is discovered, the nest will be marked, and work will not be allowed within 10 feet of the nest, as specified in the environmental permits issued for this project.

The Turtle Patrol also is monitoring the beach in the project limits of Segment 1, from South 25th Street to South 22nd Street, where plans call for dune revetment involving additional sand and plants.

Segment 1 South 25th Street to South 22nd Street):

Clearing and placing sand is complete on this segment. The contractor expects to begin planting new vegetation next week. This activity may require single lane closures with flagging operations.

Segment 2 (South 22nd Street to South 9th Street):

The contractor is completing the necessary testing and certifications on the new water line between South 20th Street and South 17th Street. Once that process is complete, the contractor will be switching service onto the new line. This is expected to begin the week of June 10. As customers are transferred to the new line, a short interruption of service is necessary, typically less than 30 minutes. The contractor is working to switch businesses over during non-working hours. The contractor will attempt to notify residents and businesses prior to any interruption of service.

Water main installation is also occurring between South 14th and South 16th streets. Work on the French drain system is taking place between South 12th and South 13th streets.

The contractor also will be constructing new sidewalk between South 13th and South 14 streets, and South 16th and South 18th streets over the next few weeks.

Segment 3 (North 18th Street to Osprey Drive) Project Update:

Drilling of the concrete piles for the new secant wall continues north of Ocean Marina Drive. This is followed by construction of the concrete wall cap. Once the cap is finished, the dune sand is reworked to achieve the designated slope so that vegetation can be planted. The first plants are expected to be put in next week.

See Also:

The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county's most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view. (DOT) — The proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Dixie Highway and U.S. 1 is intended to drastically reduce the number of severe crashes at one of the county’s most dangerous intersections. Two other such roundabouts are proposed for other dangerous intersections in Flagler. Click on the image for larger view.
(DOT)

U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway Roundabout Construction Updates:

FlaglerLive is providing weekly updates to the planned 15-month, $4.1 million construction of a roundabout at U.S. 1 and Old Dixie Highway. The project started in late January and is scheduled for completion by spring 2020.

The Florida Department of Transportation will be closing Old Dixie Highway and C.R. 325 at U.S. 1 on Monday night, March 4, from about 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The closure is needed to allow the contractor to make improvements to the crossover at the temporary intersection. U.S. 1 will remain open in both directions.

More details here.

See Also:

I-95 Construction, Repaving: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m., single lane closures on NB I-95 from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line. Monday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 7 a.m., double lane closures on NB I-95 from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line.

See this week’s full Interstate Construction Report for Flagler, Volusia and St. Johns here.

Announcements/Press Releases:

Hurricane Irma assistance still available: Flagler County residents with unrepaired damage from Hurricane Irma may still qualify for assistance. “Although it has been almost two years since Hurricane Irma caused damage to many local homes, residents are still dealing with the aftermath of the storm,” Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord said. “We would like to make these residents aware that assistance is still available.” The Flagler County Communities Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD) group has received an American Red Cross Hurricane Irma Financial Assistance Grant to assist with home repair projects related to Hurricane Irma. To know if you may qualify for assistance, please contact Geri Scott, Flagler County COAD’s Program Coordinator for Hurricane Irma Recovery at 386-416-7925.

In Florida and in State Government:

Note: Some proceedings below can be followed live on the Florida Channel. Most legislative proceedings can be followed through the Senate or House websites.

BROWARD SHERIFF CASE TEED UP: Senate Special Master Dudley Goodlette will hold a prehearing conference in an appeal by suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. Gov. Ron DeSantis ousted Israel, accusing the sheriff of “neglect of duty” and “incompetence” related, at least in part, to the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Israel requested a hearing from the Senate, which has the authority to remove or reinstate officials suspended by the governor. As special master, Goodlette will hold a hearing and make a recommendation to the Senate. The hearing is scheduled to start June 18. (Monday, 10 a.m., 401 Senate Office Building, the Capitol.)

GUN AMENDMENT DISCUSSED: The group Ban Assault Weapons NOW will discuss efforts to place a constitutional amendment on the 2020 ballot that would ban assault-style weapons in Florida. (Monday, 11 a.m., Orange County Supervisor of Elections, 119 West Kaley St., Orlando.

FINANCE REPORTS DUE: State candidates and political committees face a Monday deadline for filing reports showing finance activity through May 31.

—-Compiled by the News Service of Florida and FlaglerLive

In Coming Days in Palm Coast, Flagler and the Occasional Beyond:

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A Twitter List by PierreTristam

Keep Up with Donald Trump’s attacks on the press through the ACLU’s running tab here.

Keep Up with mass shootings in a running database here.

Palm Coast Construction and Development Progress Reports

Here’s a summary of the latest city developments as of May 31, 2019, with a link to the full week in review here.

Click to access week-in-review-may-24-2019-developments.pdf

Cultural Coda

Brahms：Cello Sonata No.1, Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax